Joe’s says he’s not for moving from windfarm site
COUNCIL BACKS WINDFARM DEVELOPER OVER PIPELINE’S ‘DEVIATION FROM DRAWINGS’ AND CLOSES THE FILE
FIVE weeks since beginning his roadside protest against a windfarm development which has installed a joint bay on his land without his permission, Joe Franz is determined not to be moved.
The protest at Carrigdangan began when Joe discovered that a joint bay for a pipeline to connect a windfarm to a substation had been installed without his permission being sought on a road which, he says, is on his land.
He wrote a letter of complaint to Cork County Council pointing this out and received a response last week which appears to back the developer, Keel Wind Farm, one of many eco power firms of which Macroom businessman Michael Murnane is a director.
In the letter dated June 19, it states: ‘ The amendments to the line of the cable, Joint Bay 10 and the associated Link Box and Coms box, remain within the site unit of the development permitted under Planning Register 17/431 ABP 30153-18.
‘ The plans and particulars submitted with the application expressly provided for deviations from the drawings, the deviation that has occurred has been agreed with the Road Authority and remains within the public road corridor.
‘It is considered that no breach of the planning permission has occurred.’
While the letter refers to the location of Joint Bay 10 and the pipeline as being within the ‘public road corridor’, Joe is adamant that this development is being carried out on his land without his consent.
“I’m not going to move from here on any account – they’re going to have to seek an injunction and move me legally, and if they do that I will fight them all the way,” he said.
He also claimed that he had refused an offer of money.
At present, supporters have been camping out at the site in order to show solidarity with Joe and his partner, Diana Kuehnal.
There has been concern since an early morning incident on June 6 when a crew arrived on site to erect a fence. Joe alleges that, during the process of erecting the fence, he was hemmed in. Gardaí were called to the scene on the day, and it has been quiet since.
The camp includes a number of tents and a yurt, and it played host to a number of talks by archaeologists on Sunday.
Yoga sessions were organised at the event, which were intended to show support for Joe and Diana. The event was supported by a group called Deep Green
Resistance.
Joe said there have been supporters camping out on the site since the events on June 6 as there is concern that should any moves be made to attempt to move Joe from the site, there would be supporters on the site at the time.
“We feel there may be a move anytime,” said Joe.
Although things have been quiet since June 6, this past week, however, workers in a pick up came on the scene to move the fencing, but they were refused permission by Joe. The standoff continues on the site.